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What Are the Effects of Dyslexia on Speech?

K.C. Bruning
K.C. Bruning

The effects of dyslexia on speech include delayed development, comprehension errors and problems speaking accurately. Many children who have dyslexia develop language skills late and might have trouble communicating verbally after they acquire the ability to speak. Part of the trouble that many dyslexics have with communicating is in clearly understanding other people’s speech.

Most people who have dyslexia tend to have some difficulties with speech. Factors that increase the problem include the level of difficulty experienced while reading and what specific type of dyslexia the person has. The most significant verbal disabilities are found in patients who have auditory dyslexia, which is the rarest form of the disease.

Dyslexia may cause speech articulation problems.
Dyslexia may cause speech articulation problems.

There are several ways in which the effects of dyslexia on speech can impede a child’s verbal development. Children who have the condition often struggle to build a good vocabulary, which can impede both verbal and written communication. They also are often unable to put words in the correct order or use the correct syntax. If a child does not have a significant vocabulary or cannot speak in complete, mostly grammatically sound sentences by the age of 5, then dyslexia might be the cause.

Some with dyslexia may not be able to make the connection between reading and oral comprehension.
Some with dyslexia may not be able to make the connection between reading and oral comprehension.

One of the effects of dyslexia on speech originates with the way the dyslexic person processes sound. People who have auditory dyslexia might have difficulty understanding what is being said to them. They might struggle with rhymes and separating words at the correct syllables. The way they hear words might be distorted, and they might process words in the incorrect order. This can impair the individual’s ability to respond correctly.

The level of difficulty a dyslexia person has while reading can have an impact on their speech.
The level of difficulty a dyslexia person has while reading can have an impact on their speech.

Another one of the possible physical effects of dyslexia on speech is the inability to read aloud. In many cases, this is because the individual cannot decipher the text. There are other situations in which the text might be mostly clear to the person, but he or she is not able to make the connection between reading and oral expression. People who have dyslexia can also have trouble understanding certain types of sounds. For example, they might be able to understand vowel sounds but struggle with consonants.

Speech difficulties may be experienced by children with dyslexia.
Speech difficulties may be experienced by children with dyslexia.

The effects of dyslexia on speech have been studied. Researchers have worked to develop a system by which patients who have the auditory form of the disease can be trained to understand speech more clearly. This includes the development of strategies for comprehension that patients can focus on when listening to another person speaking.

Discussion Comments

anon1006175

It's hard to take this article seriously when it calls dyslexia a disease.

literally45

I have a dyslexic child with speech problems and I just want to say that if you come across a child or an adult with these problems, please be very patient and understanding towards them! It's not their fault!

stoneMason

@donasmrs-- He sounds like me and I do have dyslexia, just a minor version of it.

Dyslexia doesn't always have to be full blown, people can fall at all ends of the spectrum. It's possible to have issues just with speech and it's possible to have issues just with reading and writing.

I suggest taking your nephew to another doctor. He can improve his speech with speech therapy. So if he is diagnosed with dyslexia, it's not the end of the world.

donasmrs

My nephew hasn't been diagnosed with dyslexia. He is seven now and is doing fine in school. He doesn't have any problems with reading and writing or even understanding and following orders. But he has some limitations when it comes to speaking. He has trouble saying certain words and sometimes he can't put together a sentence. He says that he knows what it is, he just can't say it.

If this is not dyslexia, what is it? Is it possible for someone to have dyslexia and only have difficulty with speaking and nothing else?

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    • Dyslexia may cause speech articulation problems.
      By: sakura
      Dyslexia may cause speech articulation problems.
    • Some with dyslexia may not be able to make the connection between reading and oral comprehension.
      By: Konstantin Yuganov
      Some with dyslexia may not be able to make the connection between reading and oral comprehension.
    • The level of difficulty a dyslexia person has while reading can have an impact on their speech.
      By: pathdoc
      The level of difficulty a dyslexia person has while reading can have an impact on their speech.
    • Speech difficulties may be experienced by children with dyslexia.
      By: ambrozinio
      Speech difficulties may be experienced by children with dyslexia.
    • People who have auditory dyslexia may have difficulty understanding what is being said to them.
      By: bertys30
      People who have auditory dyslexia may have difficulty understanding what is being said to them.
    • Although boys and girls are equally likely to be dyslexic, boys are more likely to act out as a result of struggling with the condition.
      By: elisabetta figus
      Although boys and girls are equally likely to be dyslexic, boys are more likely to act out as a result of struggling with the condition.